De-aging singers is the latest AI music tool.
[This was my column for Global News.ca. – AC]
Artificial intelligence is rightly viewed as a potential threat to music. Models are being trained (illegally, in most cases) on copyrighted music created by flesh-and-blood humans without permission or compensation. AI compositions are being passed off as real human composers on streaming music platforms, taking away streams and income from proper artists.
Beyond all the legal issues record labels have against companies producing AI music, they’re also very interested in its cost-saving, career-extending and money-making potential.
Last year, Universal Music released a new Spanish version of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee, a 1958 hit recorded when she was just 13. Lee is 80 now, so it wasn’t like they could get her back into the studio. Instead, they used AI to create a perfect replica of her singing the song in Spanish. Lee was informed of the project ahead of time. She was “blown away” by the results. It’s eerily accurate.
This is just one example of how AI is being used as a tool in the music industry. Here’s another with even more interesting applications.
